Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 10:11:25 -0600
Reply-To: Fred Porter <fporterNOSPAM@EYRING.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Fred Porter <fporterNOSPAM@EYRING.COM>
Organization: EYRING, Corp.
Subject: Re: bike racks.. Any home made solutions?
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Bill and all roof rack folks....
very recently, there was a post about bolting continuous channel to the
poptop. the cross section of the channel is similar to that of the
small sections that are bolted on to provide attach points for
commercial rack feet. this continuous channel allowed variable
placement of the racks along the roof to accomodate different
loads--sounds much better than 2,3,or 4 fixed positions. where the
channel was bolted to the fiber glass it was backed up on the inside
with add'l sheet metal to spread out the load over more glass.
i've used wood bars and the less expensive cast metal feet (sold at
hardware stores) for, at different times, kayaks, wind surfers or a
canoe. unless one needs special cradles or less conventional attach
points this has worked really well. i've used pipe insulation, high
density foam i've contoured myself, and closed cell foam (like sleeping
pads), as supports/padding--all waaaaaaaay less expensive than
commercial rack systems, without having compromised security. i'm sure
there are some horror stories about using less expensive racks to carry
stuff, but ive heard some pretty bad things happening to stuff carried
on yak and thule racks as well. just gotta enginerd it to do the job.
IMHO, i'd rather take the wheels off my bikes and carry bikes and wheels
inside--road grim and fireroad dust/sand/grit collects on oiled bicycle
drivetrain. driven rain can do bad things as well.
later,
fred
thetrans wrote:
>
> This is a cool thread. I need to carry windsurfing equipment, a canoe, and
> bikes (not all at once, though you never know!!). I was thinking of
> building a three or four support system, bolted to the sides of the pop
> top, and using wood crossmembers (for cost control and ease of replacement).
>
> Any other home brew systems out there? I have a Thule system for my Jeep,
> but the bars aren't really strong enough for the canoe (big aluminum
> jobbie) and I would want more than 2 bars anyway.. plus the cost of the
> extender footers for the rain gutter plus bars.. hell I could get a new
> curtain kit for that money and still have enough left over for other random
> Syncro parts!! I know this will start a DIY Part 2 from GMBulley, but just
> curious....
>
> Bill
>
> At 10:10 AM 5/14/98 +0000, Charles Michuax wrote:
> >Tony,
> >
> >I use a similar setup as you saw at the bike event. I use Thule tales to
> >mount over the pop top in the front with extra long poles. I then use the
> >Thule Ultimate upright carrier mounted to the extreme sides. I can carry
> >two bikes and still pop the top with no problem or 4 bikes if need be. I
> >know it looks a little funny but it works great.
> >
> >Charles
> >'91 Westy
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:Vanagon@vanagon.com]On Behalf Of
> >Anthony L. Mourkas
> >Sent: Thursday, May 14, 1998 1:38 PM
> >To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
> >Subject: Re: bike rack
> >
> >
> >My bike racks are attached to Thule load bars and gutter mount uprights
> >which are in turn attached to Thule's "artificial rain gutters" bolted to
> >the sides of the Westfalia pop-top. Thus the whole roof top bike rack
> >assembly raises and lowers with the pop-top, with or without bikes
> >attached. I have carried up to three bikes in this manner for years now
> >without any problems. I do carry a small stepstool to help get the bikes
> >up there and it is necessary to have a helper (or be named "Hercules") to
> >put up the top with bikes attached.
> >
> >I saw another interesting installation recently in the parking area of a
> >bicycling event that I would try if I hadn't already done the above. The
> >owner of a Westfalia Vanagon had installed two Thule load bars over the
> >luggage well at the front of the van using two "tower" (tall) rain gutter
> >mounts attached to the rain gutters above the driver and front passenger
> >doors. To these load bars were attached two thule fork mount bicycle
> >carriers facing backwards, that is with the rear wheel of the bicycles
> >facing forward, and sticking out over the windshield a bit. The whole
> >assembly was mounted so that when the pop-top was raised it would just
> >clear the rack and bikes. The owner of this van had mounted the two fork
> >mount bicycle carriers as far outboard as possible leaving most of the
> >luggage well accessible and usable for carrying whatever. He claimed
> >that he could get the bikes up on top simply by opening the front door
> >and stepping on the footwell and top of the wheel wells.
> >
> >It sure looked a little odd, but the owner claimed no problems with this
> >setup. I would appreciate hearing of experiences with anything similar.
> >
> >Tony
> >
> >Anthony L. Mourkas
> >Hampden, Maine, USA
> >1981 Vanagon Westfalia
> >
>
> "Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you
> look at it right"
>
> Hunter/Garcia
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